RWBY 8 1 - First Blood
by Darkpenn
Summary: Salem seeks vengeance on Team RWBY


[Author's Note: This story, the first episode of _Volume 8,_ follows the Darkpenn fanfic series _Volume 7 – Friends and Enemies_ , which in turn follows _Volume 6 – Fighting Back_ , and volume 5 of series actual. It also follows a series of 'transitional' stories between _Volume 7_ and _Volume 8_ , _After the Battle, Before the Storm_. There will be ten stories in _Volume 8_ , and it will conclude the RWBY story arc.]

 **First Blood**

 _Salem seeks vengeance on Team RWBY_

 _Taiyang_ Xiao Long was in his study in the little house in Patch, marking student papers. From outside, there was a noise – a noise which he had not heard for a long time. Not long enough.

He took his jian sword from its place on the wall, and removed it from its sheath. "Old friend," he said. "I must call on you once again."

He walked outside.

Salem. With a hundred Grimm. Overhead, a dozen Nevermores circled.

He swept the sword through the air. The blade left a glowing trail.

" _Taiyang_ ," said Salem. "It has been a while, Hunter. So you must have many questions."

"Just one," he said, taking a combat stance. "What took you so long?"

RWBY

Ruby, Weiss, Blake and Yang were at The Cake Butler in Atlas. It was the first time they had been together for a while, and Ruby had just imparted some important news. Or possibly gossip.

"Get away!" said Yang. "You mean, my mother … and your father … get together sometimes? For … stuff?"

"To quote Dad, we might be older but we're not dead," said Ruby.

"I believe he is your father too, Yang," said Weiss. "Although I'm not sure if that makes it better, or worse."

"Well, Taiyang is quite an attractive fellow," put in Blake.

They all stared at her.

"I'm just saying," said Blake. "I mean, if you like men. Which I … don't. Well, I don't dislike them. In fact, I quite like them. Many of them. Not all. By which I mean … "

"I think you should stop talking right now," suggested Weiss.

"I think so too," said Blake. "Although I might say that Raven is attractive as well, in her own way – "

"Right now," said Weiss.

"Mmm," said Blake.

"I just hope that, you know, there are no more babies in the mix," said Yang. "I'm still trying to get my head around Winter and Qrow."

"Be thankful that you are not going to be an aunt," said Weiss. "I am so not ready for that."

"A strange union of the Branwen and Schnee clans," said Ruby. "You have to sympathise with the kid."

Weiss' scroll buzzed. She read the message and smiled. She typed a short reply message and sent it. And smiled again.

They stared at her. "Spill," said Yang. "Anyone we know?"

"Jaune," said Weiss.

"Aha!" said Ruby. "I knew you were up to something! Because I caught you humming for no apparent reason last week!"

"It's not really a secret or anything," said Weiss.

"True, I remember you two doing your best to move Haven Academy off its foundations," said Blake.

"How many times have you seen him?" said Yang. "Meaning 'seen him', of course."

"A number."

"More than five?" said Ruby.

"Yes, and less than twelve, but who's counting," said Weiss.

Ruby sighed. She wondered if she should mention that she had been seeing Yatsuhashi a bit. She decided against it. Not ready. "Vixen activities aside, Weiss, I wanted to ask you something," she said. She took the _Book of Relics_ from her bag. "I found something very odd about this. Well, it's all odd, of course, but this is extra odd. When you looked through it, did you see these blank pages at the back?"

"Blank pages?" said Weiss. "No, there weren't any, I'm sure of it."

"Well, there are now, you see?"

"Huh. I don't know how we missed them before."

"Perhaps," said Blake, "they were not there before."

They all looked at each other. "Makes as much sense as anything else," said Yang.

"You know, I used to not believe in magic," said Weiss. "And then I saw a woman turn into a bird and back again. So a book that creates its own pages? Sure, why not?"

"But why would there be blank pages?" said Ruby.

"Obviously, so you can add your bit," said Yang. "After all, we now know the identity of all four Maidens, even saw them fight together. And we know more about the relics, as well. Stories worth telling, I would think. So get writing, sis."

Ruby considered, and then nodded. "But first," she said, "more cake. And cookies."

Suddenly, in the middle of the café, there was a flickering of red light.

"Speaking of mom … " said Yang.

The light turned into a portal, and Raven Branwen stepped out.

"Gosh," said Yang to her. "Two visits in one year. Be careful, people might start to mistake you for a mother."

"Come with me," said Raven. "Right now."

They looked at her dubiously.

"Please," said Raven.

"Now there is a word I never thought I would hear from you," said Yang. "What for?"

"Guys," said Ruby. "I think we should go with her."

Raven was conjuring another portal. They all went through it.

Patch.

Ruby screamed.

Yang sank to her knees, sobbing.

Weiss looked around. There were piles of ashes everywhere. "Looks like he went down fighting," she said softly.

Tears were rolling down Raven's face. Yang took her into her arms and hugged her. Raven gave a single, anguished sob. Then she pushed her daughter away.

Blake was studying a mark burned into a tree. "Salem," she whispered. She sniffed the air. Her sensitive nose detected … was it sulphur? Just a trace of it.

"But … why?" said Weiss. "Why would she do this? Where is the strategic purpose?"

"There is no purpose," said Raven. "This is just revenge. Against … the four of you. To make you hurt. By attacking those close to you."

"How do you know?" said Blake.

"Because … it is what I would do," said Raven. "I can also tell you that he will not be the only one." She pulled the jian sword out of the ground and put it into her multi-blade sheath. She was shaking with anger now, her eyes blazing.

Yang and Ruby wiped their eyes. "Blake, you should get to Menagerie," said Ruby. "Right away. Tell them to get prepared, take precautions. Weiss, you might want to tell Winter and Qrow … and maybe the rest of your family."

Weiss and Blake nodded. "And what about you two?" said Weiss.

"We," said Yang, "have a father to bury."

RWBY

Jacques Schnee was in his limousine, returning to the mansion, when it suddenly stopped. The driver opened the door, got out, and walked away. Only then did Jacques realise that the front of the vehicle was encased in ice.

The door opened and Weiss got in next to him.

"Jacques," she said.

"You should call me father," he said.

"Don't think so, Jacques," said Weiss. "However, others might not see it like that. Those people have already struck at the father of one of my friends. They might do the same to you. A part of me says, well, go ahead, have fun, knock yourself out. But I suppose I should give you a warning, as we share a name, at least. And would you pass this information to Whitley as well. I loathe him slightly less than I loathe you. And … I suppose I owe him a favour. I have already informed Winter and her husband."

Jacques considered. "Who are these … people?" he said.

"The leader is a true villain, a creature of great evil and great power," said Weiss. "Enough to make you look like a naughty schoolboy. A couple of extra bodyguards won't scare her, believe me. I suggest you take a long holiday in a very out-of-the-way place."

"So I have you and your undergraduate colleagues to thank for this … turn of events?"

"If anyone is going to kill you, Jacques, I would prefer it to be me."

"Spoken like a true Schnee."

"Fuck you, Jacques. Consider this warning to be whatever passes for a reconciliation in this family, and a goodbye. And … good luck."

RWBY

Three days later. The four of them had met in the library of Beacon Academy, and Blake had told them her grim news.

"I'm so sorry, Blake," said Ruby. "We all are."

"Is Kali alright?" said Weiss.

"She wasn't with … him … when the attack came, so she was not hurt," said Blake. "But of course she is completely shattered. I told her to go to the mountains, to a safe place, but I don't know if she will. I would have liked to stay with her, but my place is here, with you guys, to try and stop this."

"Who will be next?" said Yang. "And what can we do about it? The people we love can't run and hide forever."

"We have sent messages to everyone we can think of, but it's pretty hard to protect yourself against someone who can pop out of nowhere with an army at her back," said Weiss. "It would be good if we could take this particular fight to her, since she has made it personal, but the bottom line is that we don't even know where she is," said Weiss.

"I know of only one way to find out," said Ruby. "And it involves going to Menagerie."

END (to be continued – next story: _Grim Tidings_ )


End file.
